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Author Topic: Forgot to Sanitize my carboy!!  (Read 11190 times)

Offline Hokerer

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Re: Forgot to Sanitize my carboy!!
« Reply #15 on: April 16, 2010, 11:53:58 am »
How come wyeast activator smack packs need a starter?  I thought the purpose of the nutrient pack inside acts as a starter...I thought just the propogator packs need a starter...

http://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_products.cfm

First off, Wyeast says "The Wyeast Activator (125 ml) smack-pack is designed to directly inoculate 5 gallons of standard ale wort (O.G. < 1.060, 65-72°F)".  But if you look at the tech info on their website, you'll see the numbers don't quite work out.  They claim 100 Billion cells in a smack pack.  Their tech info says that, for something less than 1.060, you should pitch 6.0 million cells/ml.  Even with exactly 5.0 gallons (most times it's closer 5.5 or 6.0), that comes out to 114 billion cells and there's only 100 billion in the smack pack.  That also assumes 100% viability in the smack pack which is about impossible so you're actually getting less than 100 billion.

This thread started about an "over 6% IPA" which most likely puts it into the "greater than or equal to 1.060".  For that, Wyeast says you need 12.0 million cells/ml.  That comes out to 228 billion - a smack pack doesn't even come close.

And to really open your eyes, go to mrmalty.com and check out that pitch rate calculator.  It's pitching rates are more realistic (rather than Wyeast's that are more of a sales pitch to make you think a smack pack is "pitchable") and you'll see that 5.0 gallons of 1.060 wort should have 208 billion cells (not Wyeast's 114).  Again a smack pack isn't even close.

The nutrients in the smack pack aren't intended to make it into a "starter".  They're there so that, when you smack the pack, the yeast have something to feed on to make the pack swell.  That feeding/swelling only proves that there's live yeast in there - it really doesn't accomplish anything in the way of cell count growth.

Joe

Offline denny

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Re: Forgot to Sanitize my carboy!!
« Reply #16 on: April 16, 2010, 12:10:12 pm »
Will start doing that with my next batch.  Do you have any recommended methods? 

Mr. Malty is a great source of info....

http://www.mrmalty.com/pitching.php
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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Offline weithman5

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Re: Forgot to Sanitize my carboy!!
« Reply #17 on: April 16, 2010, 12:16:52 pm »
nearly every book has a good starter process. but fundamentally you can use some dme and make a weak wort.   put it in an erlynmeyer, glass milk jug, mason jar... and add yeast. stir a lot or put on a stir plate.  kind of like making a small batch of beer.  i tend to save some of the last runoff at low sg.  freeze, then when i want to use it i boil it again, add leftover yeast and so on.
Don AHA member

Offline bbump22

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Re: Forgot to Sanitize my carboy!!
« Reply #18 on: April 16, 2010, 12:17:42 pm »
Will start doing that with my next batch.  Do you have any recommended methods? 

Mr. Malty is a great source of info....

http://www.mrmalty.com/pitching.php

Thanks - Ill be brewing better beers in no time!  Do you still smack the pack and add the entire contents to the starter or just the yeast without the added nutrients?  
mmmm....beer

Offline euge

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Re: Forgot to Sanitize my carboy!!
« Reply #19 on: April 16, 2010, 12:20:01 pm »
At least I'm doing it correctly with my dry yeast. Spot on.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

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Offline Hokerer

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Re: Forgot to Sanitize my carboy!!
« Reply #20 on: April 16, 2010, 12:29:13 pm »
Will start doing that with my next batch.  Do you have any recommended methods? 

Mr. Malty is a great source of info....

http://www.mrmalty.com/pitching.php

Thanks - Ill be brewing better beers in no time!  Do you still smack the pack and add the entire contents to the starter or just the yeast without the added nutrients?  

Pitch all the smack pack contents into the starter
Joe

Offline denny

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Re: Forgot to Sanitize my carboy!!
« Reply #21 on: April 16, 2010, 02:07:41 pm »
Will start doing that with my next batch.  Do you have any recommended methods?  

Mr. Malty is a great source of info....

http://www.mrmalty.com/pitching.php

Thanks - Ill be brewing better beers in no time!  Do you still smack the pack and add the entire contents to the starter or just the yeast without the added nutrients?  


I usually smack the pack, wait for it to swell, and use the whole thing in the starter.  But that's not really necessary.  I've also just cut the pack open and pitched the yeast without waiting for it to swell.  Keep in mind that the yeast is in the main pack, and the small bag inside is the nutrient.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell